A pair of bills by state Sen. Briggs Hopson are among nine aimed at expanding kindergarten in Mississippi that have died in committee during this year’s legislative session.

One would have required kindergarten-age children to attend such programs as part of the state’s compulsory school attendance law. The other would have created the Early Learning Collaborative Act of 2012, by which pre-K programs were to be phased in with the state Department of Education in charge. Three others in the Senate and four in the House had similar goals; all died in each chamber’s respective Education Committee.

It’s mandatory for school districts in Mississippi to offer kindergarten, but attendance is optional.